Summary
- Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack continues to add value with M-rated games and former Japan-exclusive titles for Western subscribers.
- The release of Starfy trilogy on NSO hints at the possibility of a Mother 3 localization for Western audiences in the future.
- Despite hurdles like English localization, the trend of Japan-only releases on NSO gives hope for a potential Mother 3 Western release.
Nintendo Switch Online has steadily become a great way for players to experience the best of Nintendo's classic catalog of games. Despite some controversy surrounding the subscription service's model and price tag, the company has continued to increase the value of Nintendo Switch Online with its Expansion Pack featuring titles from the N64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance. Most recently, Nintendo released a trilogy of former Japan-exclusive titles for Western subscribers to enjoy, giving fans hope for the infamous Mother 3 to finally get a localized release.
The value of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack tier continues to grow with a new selection of M-rated titles released following the latest Nintendo Direct, and the recent addition of three Densestu no Starfy games from the GBA on the service. These games never saw a release outside of Japan, so their worldwide release on Nintendo Switch Online is worth celebrating. These releases follow a trend of former Japan-only releases getting a global release on Nintendo Switch Online, and Mother 3 deserves to be a part of this endeavor.
New Switch Online Additions Could Open the Door for One of N64's Best M-Rated Games
The latest additions to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack tier could pave the way for one of the N64's best M-rated games.
The Starfy Trilogy Releasing on Nintendo Switch Online is a Good Sign for a Western Mother 3 Release
While the West saw the series' fifth entry, The Legendary Starfy, released on the Nintendo DS in 2008, this is the only game in the series to be released outside of Japan. There are four prior games in the Starfy series that had previously never seen a Western release, but with Densestu no Starfy, Densestu no Starfy 2, and Densestu no Starfy 3 now available on Nintendo Switch Online worldwide, audiences outside of Japan can finally experience these hidden gems. While these releases are exciting to be sure, they could shed some light on a potential Mother 3 localization that fans have been clamoring for.
After these NSO additions, Densestu no Starfy 4 is the only entry that has not seen a release outside of Japan.
When the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack tier was announced to be adding Game Boy Advance titles to its library, hope for a Mother 3 release in the West gained new traction. This service was the perfect avenue for Nintendo to release the infamous game, and the fact that other previously Japan-exclusive GBA titles are now available on the service puts the game in a better position than ever. Mother 3 has already been released on the Japanese version of Nintendo Switch Online, making the game just out of reach for subscribers outside of Japan.
Mother 3 May Still Face Some Hurdles with a Localized Release
One of the major reasons the Starfy series never really took off in the West was due to Nintendo of America's fear that the series wouldn't resonate with non-Japanese audiences. A similar sentiment is shared when discussing a potential Mother 3 release, with many fans believing the game's themes and depictions of characters like the Magypsies wouldn't go over well in the West. Now that Nintendo has overcome that hurdle with the Starfy series, some of the roadblocks to a Mother 3 localization have been removed.
However, there is still a major hurdle the game would need to overcome in order to see a Western release: a full English localization. One of the drawbacks the Starfy games face on Nintendo Switch Online is that they are still only available in their original Japanese. This isn't too much of an issue for non-Japanese audiences since the games are platformers that require little reading to enjoy, but a JRPG like Mother 3 relies heavily on text for its gameplay and would need to be translated for an official Western release.
